


Only You Can Ease My Mind

by dakato



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged up characters, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hinata Shouyou - mentioned - Freeform, Inspired by Music, Kageyama Tobio - mentioned - Freeform, Light Angst, Loneliness, M/M, Not Beta Read, Self-Hatred, Yachi Hitoka - mentioned - Freeform, Yamaguchi Tadashi - mentioned - Freeform, birthday fic, song-fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-29 18:15:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20800829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dakato/pseuds/dakato
Summary: Kei has never felt like he was worth anyone's time. He had resigned himself to being lonely his whole life. He couldn't remember a day that he didn't feel like this and his twentieth birthday would be no exception. Until a dark haired stranger forces Kei to engage in conversation.





	Only You Can Ease My Mind

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday Tsukki <3
> 
> This fic is based off of Ben Platt's "Ease My Mind".

* * *

Today was like any other day. Kei woke up with the usual pit in his chest: a large mess of anxiety, self hatred, and loneliness. It was the side effect of another restless night. Kei couldn't remember the last time he didn't feel like this. He was on an endless loop. He always woke up feeling like shit and went to bed still feeling like shit. Not even his best friend helped change this never-ending state of being. 

Today wasn't supposed to be like any other day. Birthdays are meant to be different. Special. But unfortunately, today was like any other day. 

_ Until he met him. _

Kei was perfectly minding his own business when it happened. Tadashi, Hitoka, and the idiotic duo had dragged him out to some loud and popular bar as he was turning twenty that day.  _ I know you would prefer to stay at home, but this is a huge milestone! _ Tadashi’s words rang through Kei’s mind as he forced some of the lukewarm beer that sat in front of him down his throat. The others were tearing it up on the dance-floor while Kei stayed in their booth and watched them have fun from afar. It’s how he liked things: to be the observer, even if that meant he was alone with his thoughts for the majority of the time. 

He was used to it by now. Years and years of being plagued with thoughts of zero self worth left Kei to feel utterly empty.  _ You’re not emotional enough for friends or a relationship. You do nothing but pick apart other people. You might as well just stay alone because no one would want you anyways. _ Being around people didn’t help the thoughts go away and neither did staying away. So Kei just tried to exist in a way that was minimal effort. Even if that meant going along with Tadashi’s far from desirable plans. So that’s why Kei was sitting in this bar, sipping on now piss-warm beer, thinking about how existence is futile anyways. 

“Mind if I sit?”

Kei looked up from his drink as he felt someone sit down beside him, close enough that the person’s thighs were now brushed up against his. 

“Well I can’t really say no now that you’re already sitting.” Kei clicked his tongue and started to look the other man over. Couldn’t have been much older than himself. Tall too. Not quite as tall as Kei but extremely close. If he could guess it, Kei would say that the other man was only a few centimeters shorter than himself. He had dark hair that was extremely disheveled and covering the man’s one eye. In this light, his eyes were almost a liquid gold, full of heat like it was just being smelted down in a forge. His look was topped off with a deep red long-sleeved shirt that he had pushed up to his elbows.  _ Oh no, _ Kei thought to himself,  _ he’s hot _ .

“My bad. I’ve been having some issues with my vision and needed a rest.”

Kei nodded. He noticed the two frosty pints of beer in the man’s hand and figured the guy was most likely having these issues if he had been double fisting the whole night.

“I think there’s actually something wrong with my eyes, to be completely honest. I haven’t been able to take them off you all night.”

For the first time in his life, Kei was stunned. Not only did it feel weird to be hit on, something that never happened to Kei given the ‘buzz off’ aura he emulates, but in such an awful  _ cheesy _ way left a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

“The name’s Tetsurou by the way, Kuroo Tetsurou. But you can call me Tetsu.”

Kei’s brain short circuited as this Kuroo character wiggled his eyebrows while he said the nickname ‘Tetsu’. 

“I couldn’t help but notice you were running low,” Tetsu slid over one of the pints in front of Kei, “so I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce myself.”

Finally Kei’s brain was back to it’s proper self so that he could finally respond.

“And you thought that incredibly awful pick-up line was the best ice breaker? Has it even worked on anyone?”

“You’ll have to let me know tomorrow morning at breakfast.”

Kei’s face grew red in anger and embarrassment. This whole situation was breaking so many of his rules. Keep people at a distance. Don’t engage in anything aside from small talk or snide remarks. It kept himself from the disappointment of feeling that maybe things would change. Yet strangely, those thoughts stayed away this time. The need to push this Kuroo Tetsurou wasn’t there.

“If you think that I’m going to let you stick around for more than you already have, you’re sorely mistaken Kuroo-san.”

“Ah, you’re so formal Blondie.” Tetsu clutched his chest in fake pain. “There’s really no need. But I have this feeling that you’re more curious than you let on.”

“Oh? How so?” Kei cocked an eyebrow.

“Well you see,” Tetsu took a drink from his beer, “even though you came with friends, and refuse to dance with them, you still don’t take your eyes off the group. You still want to make sure people are having a good time.”

“Your point?” Kei glared, “They’re my friends. It’s only expected that I give them attention.”

“Yes, but you see... “ Tetsu looked at Kei, as if he was trying to coax him into revealing his name. 

“Tsukishima.”

Tetsu grinned. “Tsukishima. Well you see, Tsukki-kun,” Kei groaned at the nickname, “that is what makes you curious. And, if you’re curious about people you know well, then you’re definitely curious about a tall and dark stranger who’s just bought you a drink.”

“So,” Kei smirked, “let’s say I am curious.”

Tetsu perked up like a dog with a stick being waved in front of him.

“What is it about a tall and lanky antisocial kid who’s freshly turned twenty that would draw said stranger over to his table?” 

“One, I find you extremely attractive.”

Kei’s face went crimson.

“Two, you looked like you could use some entertainment, even at the cost of making myself look like a jackass.”

“Well you certainly did that.” Kei snorted. Tetsu laughed, nodding along in agreeance. But then he got quiet and dropped his gaze to his glass.

“Lastly, I knew I’d regret not coming over and at least giving it a shot.”

Kei stared at the other man in bewilderment. It was a raw and honest statement. One that he would not expect not only from his closest friends, but least of all from a complete stranger. 

“Well,” the next words out of Kei’s mouth shocked not only himself, but Tetsu as well, “I don’t regret engaging in conversation. I actually… enjoyed it.”

Kei could see the relief wash over the face of the dark haired boy beside him. As if his body had a mind of its own, Kei found himself giving Tetsu a weak smile of assurance. He didn’t really think it was possible that his face could have gotten any redder, but Kei swore in those moments where they sat there and stared at each other, his face probably could have rivaled the shirt Tetsu was currently wearing.

“I’m glad to hear it.” Tetsu chuckled, “Though I should probably sneak away before your friends spot me. Wouldn’t want you to get any more embarrassed when they start to tease you about me.”

Kei nodded, the stranger definitely hit Tadashi on the nose with that observation. His attention was drawn to Tetsu’s hands as he reached into his back pocket. The man pulled out a pen and grabbed one of the used coasters in the middle of the table. Kei continued to watch as Tetsu scribbled something on it before sliding it over to him, just like he had with the beer earlier. This time though, he kept his hand on top of the coaster as he stood up from the booth. Kei’s breath hitched as Tetsu leaned in close and whispered into his ear.

“Happy Birthday Tsukki-kun.”

He couldn’t start breathing again until Tetsu had completely escaped from Kei’s sight. His hands shook as he picked up the coaster to read what the other man had written.

  
  


_ For if you ever want breakfast ~ xx _

  
  


Below the message was Tetsu’s number. 

Today was  _ supposed _ to be like any other day. But within the five minutes that Kuroo Tetsurou crashed into his life, Kei felt alive. Gone were all those horrible things he thought about himself that plagued him constantly. Even if it was cheesy or groan worthy, Tetsu’s words and personality melted all of Kei’s self doubt away. 

Little did he know, when Kei started inputting a text message into his phone that he was going to open the door to a new life. One with a person who would help him sort through all the madness inside his head. To make sense of everything he thought about himself. To put him back together when he needed it and keep him sane. Kei placed his phone down on the table and looked back out at his friends. He caught eyes with Tadashi and raised his glass as a sign of thanking his friend for bringing him out tonight.

Me (23:47):

_ I like strawberry pancakes. _

_ You can call me Kei. _

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for the read! Kudos and comments are encouraged :)
> 
> You can also come bug me on [ Tumblr](https://dakato.tumblr.com/)


End file.
